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A friend of mine, who happens to be a criminal lawyer, visited me recently. We spent many hours in good conversation discussing a myriad of topics. Both he and I are fortunate to be in professions that allow us to connect with people on a deeply personal level. In my capacity as a psychologist, my clients share with me things they may have never share with anyone else. Similarly, lawyers hear deeply personal stories

In the last two blog entries, I wrote about cognitive-behavioural theory and how it explains intimate partner aggression. The main tenet in these blogs was that when an individual perpetrates aggression, they usually engage in biased forms of self-talk (thoughts) that ultimately lead to violent and aggressive behaviours. In today’s blog, I will identify one of the cognitive processes that all humans (whether or not w

Last week, I outlined how cognitive-behavioural theory (CBT) explains aggression, particularly in the context of intimate relationships. In today’s blog, I’ll discuss how CBT can be used with victims of relationship abuse. Thoughts and Behaviours in Victims of Partner Abuse Over the course of an abusive relationship a perpetrator will use both physical and non-physical forms of abuse to blame and control their victim

Today, I wanted to extend upon my last blog (Feb. 28, 2011) where I wrote about the use of surveys as a means for quantifying spousal violence. The blog discussed how surveys and questionnaires do not always paint the most accurate picture of what happens when opposite-sex couples use violence in their relationships. Some studies, for example, will portray women as being equally abusive as men. Typically, these are l

In May of 2012, Statistics Canada released their General Social Survey on spousal violence in Canada for 2010. The researchers used data from police-reported data in 2010. As you read these statistics, it’s important to keep in mind that they represent data obtained by police. Many victims of domestic violence, though, do not always report their experiences to police. Male and Female Victims: Reasons for Simila

Since February is mental health month, today’s entry to discuss one of the most common mental health illnesses: Anxiety. Types of Anxiety According to the Diagnostic Statistic Manual of Mental Disorders (fourth edition) there are approximately seven different types of anxiety disorders (visit www.dsm5.org for proposed changes). These are: (a) Panic Disorder (with or without agoraphobia). Agoraphobia is a fear of plac

Today’s blog will move away from theories of addiction. Instead, today’s entry will discuss the topic of spousal abuse. Specifically, I will discuss the factors leading some women to either return, or remain, in an abusive relationship. The final component of the bio-psycho-social-spiritual integrative model for understanding addictions will be discussed in an upcoming entry. Cycle of Violence Dr. Lenore Walker first

In my last blog, I talked about the “Biological” or disease model for understanding how addictions develop. In today’s blog, I want to discuss the “Psychological” model for understanding the development and maintenance of addictions. In discussing this, it’s important to keep in mind that there are many psychological theories for explaining human behaviour. I’ll probably end